Switch and fuse box



Sept. 1, 1931. J. c. LEWIS SWITCH AND FUSE BOX Filed March 12,1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 1, 1931. J. c LEWIS SWITCH AND FUSE BOX Filed March 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mr g: I %1111 1 W MI a 1 7": 2

" WW a W W b WWW Sept. 1, 1931. J. c. LEWIS SWITCH AND FUSE BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet .3

Filed March 12, 1928 VVUQH'tOt JCT Lewlb" gm @floznavfi Sept. 1, 1931. J. c. LEWIS SWITCH AND FUSE BOX Filed March 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 [1 'hn hl m s 64101 new Sept. 1, 1931; J. c. LEWIS 1,821,224 r wuentoz J C La la Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH C. LEWIS, OF MINERVA, OHJO, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES W. KEPLINGER, RE-

(IE-IVER- OF THE AMERICAN ELECTRIC SXVITCE-l' CORPORATION, OF MINERVA, OHIO,

A CORPORATION OF DELAVIQARE S'W ITCH AND FUSE BOX Application filed March 12, 1928.

The invention relates to entrance boxes for use in residences and the like between the supply lines and the meter, and is an imirovement upon my copcnding application Serial No. 188,168, filed May 2, .1927.

The copending application referred to discloses a safety box so arranged that access to the fuse plugs can be had only when the switch is in the open position, the fuse plugs being covered by a door which is held in locked position when the switch is closed, means being provided to prevent closing of the door or cover of the box when the switch is in closed position unless the cover to the fuse plugs is locked, and provided for cutting off the electric service, whereby the switch is locked in the off position.

The object of the present improvement is to provide a switch and fuse box having the improved features generally referred to above; to improve the safety mechanism whereby the cover for the fuse plugs may be opened considerably further than provided for in my copending application, permitting easier access to the fuse plugs; to provide for simultaneously locking covers upon aplurality of sets of fuse plugs; to adapt the mechanism to fuse plug covers of considerably greater size than is practical with the former apparatus; to provide for locking the fuse plug cover at opposite sides in order to pro vent the same from being pried up by an unauthorized person; and to provide a construction wherein no portion of the locking mechanism is exposed upon the outside of the box.

An embodiment of the invention thus set forth in general terms is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the box with the door in the closed position, the switch being shown in the on position and the cover to the fuse plugs in locked position, a part of said cover being broken away to illustrate the fuse plugs enclosed thereby;

Fig. 2, an elevation of the interior of the box with the door opened, showing the switch and fuse plugs, the switch being illustrated in the closed or on position;

Fig. 3, a sectional view through the box showing the switch in the on position and Serial No. 260951.

the fuse plug cover locked in the closed position;

Fig. at, a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the switch in the open position and the fuse plug cover opened to permit access to the fuse plugs;

Fig. 5, a similar view showing the switch in the open position and the fuse plug cover locked, this being the position the parts assume when the electric service is cut off Fig. 6, a similar view showing the switch in the closed or on position and the fuse plug cover unlocked, the door being partly opened, illustrating the means for reventing closing of the door when the switch and fuse plug cover are in these positions;

Fig. 7, a detached perspective view of the locking plate;

Fig. 8, an interior view of a switch box provided with two sets of fuse plugs, the door to the box being opened and provided with a locking plate adapted to simultaneously lock the covers for both sets of fuse plugs;

Fig. 9, a detached perspective view of the locking plate illustrated in Fig. 8-;

Fig. 10, an interior elevation of a latch ype of switch and fuse box showing the door '11 the open position and illustrating a pair of .oching plates adapted to simultaneously enage opposite sides of the fuse cover; and

Fig. 11, a detached perspective view of one of the locking plates shown in Fig. 10.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 1

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawings, the switch and fuse box 15 is preferably made of sheet metal of any usual design and provided with the customary door 16, hinged to one side of the box as at 17.

The usual form of pivoted latch 18 may be carried by the door and adapted to be located through the perforate car 19 carried by the box, said car being adapted to protrude through the slot 20 in the door. The usual sealmayhe connected to the aperture 21 in the pivoted latch in order to seal the box in the customary manner.

Fixed upon the bottom of the interior of the box is an insulation block 22 upon which the switch is mounted. The switch may comprise the blades 23 pivoted as at 24 to the switch terminals 25 mounted upon the block 22.

These blades are arranged to engage the switch jaws 26 which are also mounted upon the insulation block 22 and which serve as terminals in the circuit to be controlled by the switch blades.

Each of the switch blades may have an insulation block 27 fixed thereto and provided at its free end with a notch 28 for engagement with the crank bar 29, the ends of which may be journaled throughthe side walls of the box, one end being provided with the angular operating handle 30. This operating handle may extend through the slotted guide plate 31, the slot 32 thereof permitting movement of the handle to throw the switch to either limit of its movement.

The fuse plugs 33 may be carried in sockets formed in the insulation fuse block 34 which may be formed integrally with the block 22 as illustrated.

This fuse block is so positioned that the fuse plugs will be displayed through the opening 35 in the door 16 when the door is in closed position. This opening in the door is surrounded by an angular flange 36.

The cover or lid 37 may be hinged upon the door 16 as indicated at 38, the hinges being preferably spot welded to the cover and door so as to obviate the necessity of using bolts, rivets or the like which may be tampered with.

This cover is arranged to normally cover the fuse plugs 33 in order to prevent access thereto.

The cover 37 has fixed thereon a segmental plate 39 adapted to operate through the slot 40 in the door 16. This plate has a slot 41 substantially parallel to the cover 37 and a stop lug 42 at its free end arranged to limit the opening movement of the cover as shown in Fig. 4.

A locking plate 43 is slidably mounted upon the inside of the door and may be-provided near its ends with the longitudinal slots 44 which slidably receive the studs or the like 45, carried by the door, for slidably mounting the locking plate thereon.

, An angular flange 46 is formed upon the locking plate and provided with the notch 47 near one end and with the oppositely inclined edges 48 and 49, the latter terminating in a shallow notch 50 formed at the juncture of the reduced portion 51 of the flange.

The notch 47 in the flange of the locking plate is arranged to receive the crank bar, which operates the switch, in the normal op eration of the device as best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

A longitudinal slot 52 is formed midway in the locking plate to receive the segmental plate 39, carried by the fuse plug cover.

Assuming the door 16 to be in closed position, and the cover 37 closed over the fuse plugs, when the crank bar 29 is operated, by its handle,to throw the switch into the closed or on position as illustrated in Fig. 3, the locking plate 43 is slidably moved into the position shown in said figure, by the engagement of the crank bar with the notch 47 in the flange 46.

The portion 53 of the locking plate, directly beneath the slot 52 thereof, will thus be slidably projected into the notch 41 of the segmental plate 39, as shown in said figure, thus locking the fuse cover in the closed posi tion and preventing access to the fuse plugs while the switch is on.

In order to open the cover 27, to reach the fuse plugs, it is necessary to operate the crank bar to a position to open the switch, as shown in Fig. 4. This movement of the crank bar to this position slidably moves the locking plate to the position shown in said figure, withdrawing the portion 53 thereof from engagement with the notch 41 of the segmental plate, and bringing the slot 52 of the locking plate into position to register with the segmental plate 39, permitting the cover 37 to be opened to the position shown in Fig. 4, whereby access may be had to the fuse plugs.

It will thus be seen that in the normal operation of the box by the customer or user, the door 16 being always locked and sealed in closed position, unauthorized access to the interior of the box is, of course, prevented and access to the fuse plugs is permitted only when the switch is in the open position, thus preventing accident to the user by attempting to remove or replace a fuse plug while the switch is closed.

It will also be seen, as shown in Fig. 4, that with the fuse plugs accessible, the switch cannot be closed as the segmental plate 39 will prevent upward movement of the sliding locking plate and thus prevent closing movement of the switch until the cover 37 is moved to the closed position. This prevents a person from accidentally closing the switch while touching one of the fuse plugs or sockets.

If an employe of the power company desires to gain access to the interior of the box in order to make repairs or the like, the parts may be moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the usual seal upon the door may be broken, permitting the door to be opened.

lVith the switch in the closed position, it will be seen that the fuse plug cover locked in the closed position, in which position it will remain until the door is again closed, the parts again assuming the posit-ion shown in Fig. 3.

However, should the switch be first moved to the open or off position before breaking the seal and opening the door, this operation of the switch will move the locking plate to the position shown in Fig. 4. When the door is opened, the switch is in the open or off position and the switc plug cover unlocked.

If, during the time the door is open, the switch should be moved to the closed or on position, it will be impossible to close the door with the switch in this position, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

It will be seen in this figure that the inner edge of the flange 46 upon the locking plate will contact with the crank bar 29 of the switch, preventing closing of the door with the switch in the on position and the fuse plug cover unlocked.

When the power company desires to shut oil the service, it is only necessary to open the door 16 with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3, after which the switch is moved to the off position and the door closed as shown in Fig. 5.

The crank bar 29 will thus be seated in the shallow notch 50 and in contact with the inclined edge 49 of the flange 46 upon the locking plate, preventing movement of the operating handle toward the on position, holding the switch in open position and the fuse plug cover locked in closed position.

The catch 18 will, of course, be moved into the locked position and sealed, thus preventing closing of the switch or access to the fuse plugs by an unauthorized person. In Figs. 8 and 9 is illustrated an adaptation of the invention to a box containing two independent sets of fuse plugs.

The switch blades 23a and associated parts may be the same as illustrated and described above and may be arranged to be perated by the crank bar 29a in the manner above described.

The fuse plugs 33a and fuse block Sta may be the same as the fuse plugs and block 33 and 3% above described. A second fuse block 55 may be mounted upon the other side of the switch and provided with fuse plugs 56.

The door 1664 may be hingedly connected to one side of the box as at 17a and provided with the openings 35a and 35b adap ed to register with the fuse bl cks 55 and respectively when the door is in closed position.

Covers or lids 37a, similar to the cover 3? above described, may be hingedly mounted upon the outside of the door 16a to normally cover the fuse plugs.

Each of these covers has fixed thereon the segmental plates 39a similar to the plates 39 above described and adapted to operate through the slots 40a in the door.

The locking plate 43a may be slidably mounted upon the inside of the door in the manner above described and provided with the slot 52a for receiving one of the segmental plates 39a. The end portions of the sliding locking plate are adapted to engage in the slots in the segmental plates to en a ement with the crank bar and with the inclined end 29a for holding the crank bar against closing movement when it is desired to cut off the power in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5.

An adaptation of t e invention to extreme- P ly large boxes is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. In this case the box may be provided for carrying high tension currents and is of such size that it may be desirable to lock the fuse cover at two sides in order to prevent the same from being pried open at one side by an unauthorized person.

The switch blades 2% and crank bar 296 may he as above described and the fuses 335 may be adapted to be displayed through the F opening 350 in the door 16 0, the fuse cover SW), of the construction above described, being hingedly mounted upon the door to normally cover the fuses.

As this cover 376 will be of considerable size, it will seen that if the same is only locked at one side, the other side may be pried up by an unauthorized person desiring to gain access to the fuses. In order to prevent this, a segmental plate 895 may be provided upon each side of the cover and adapted to operate through slots 40b in the door and through the slots 52?) in the locking plates 137).

hose locking plates may be substantially as above described having the angular flanges hi7) provided with the notches d7?) for en gagement with the crank bar. The inclined edge 49?) and shallow notch 50?) may be provided upon each flange for engagement with the crank bar when it is desired to hold the switch in the open or on position and the fuse cover locked in the closed position to shut off the power to the customer.

From the above it will be obvious that a safety box is provided in which the switch cannot be moved to the closed position while the fuse cover in unlocked, thus permitting access to the fuses only when the current is shut off; and in which the door cannot be closed when the switch is in the on position and the fuse cover unlocked; and which has certain advantages above enumerated over the construction shown in my copending application referred to.

claim:

in switch and fuse box, a door upon the i switch within the box, a crank bar opvcly associated with the switch, a fuse in he 30X, a cover upon the door for normalplate mounted on the door and entirely within the box and operatively associated with the crank bar for being moved to open or closed position when the crank bar is operated to move the switch to open or closed position, a segmental plate carried by the cover and having a notch, and means on said locking plate engaging said notch when the look ing plate is in closed position.

, 2. A switch and fuse box, a door upon the ;box, a switch within the box, a crank bar operatively associated with the switch, a fuse in the box, a cover upon the door for normally preventing access to the fuse, a locking plate .1 slidably mounted on the door and entirely within the box and operatively associated with the crank bar for being moved to open or closed position when the crank bar is operated to move the switch to open or closed position, a segmental plate carried by the cover and having a notch, and means on said locking plate engaging said notch when the locking plate is in closed position.

3. A switch and fuse box, a door upon the box, a switch within the box, a crank bar opcratively associated with the switch, a fuse in the box, a cover upon the door for normIally preventing access to the fuse, a locking plate mounted on the door and entirely within the box and operatively associated with the crank bar for being moved to open or closed position when the crank bar is operated to move the switch to open or closed position, a segmental plate carried by the cover and 3 having a notch, and means on said locking plate engaging said notch when the locking plate is in closed position, the door and locking plate having slots to receive the segmental plate.

4:. A switch and fuse box, a switch within the box, a fuse within the box, a cover for the box, a separate cover arranged to normally ln'cvent'access to the fuse when the box is closed, a locking plate mounted directly on a wall of and entirely within the box and operatively associated with the switch, a segmental plate carried by the separate cover and having a notch, and means on said locking plate for engaging said notch when the switch is moved to its closed position with the cover closed.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

5 JOSEPH C. LEWIS. 

